Here’s to educating you about the flu. The flu, short for influenza, is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It primarily affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the lungs, and can range from mild to severe. In some cases, the flu can lead to serious complications like pneumonia, hospitalization, or even death, especially in vulnerable populations such as the elderly, young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Vital Advanced Medical Center in Tampa has premier primary care doctors that see patients for the flu. Here is some useful information for you.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF THE FLU?
Below are the common symptoms of the flu.
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Sore throat
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Muscle or body aches
- Headaches
- Fatigue (tiredness)
- Sometimes vomiting or diarrhea (more common in children than adults)
In educating you about the flu, it is critical that you understand how it is caused. The flu is caused by influenza viruses, which come in different types, such as influenza A, B, and C. Influenza A and B are the most common types that cause seasonal outbreaks, often in the fall and winter months.
HOW IS THE FLU SPREAD?
The flu spreads primarily through respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. You can also catch the flu by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus and then touching your mouth, nose, or eyes.
HOW IS THE FLU TREATED?
While there is no cure for the flu, antiviral medications (like oseltamivir) can be prescribed to reduce the severity and duration of symptoms if taken early in the illness. Most people recover within a week or two with rest, fluids, and over-the-counter medications to alleviate symptoms.
Prevention:
- Flu vaccine: The most effective way to prevent the flu is by getting an annual flu shot, which is updated each year to match the most common circulating strains.
- Good hygiene: Wash hands regularly, cover coughs and sneezes, and avoid close contact with sick individuals.
- Antiviral drugs: For certain high-risk individuals, antiviral medications may be prescribed to prevent the flu if they’ve been exposed.
The flu is different from the common cold, which is generally milder and caused by different viruses (like rhinoviruses).
The flu vaccine helps prevent the flu by training your immune system to recognize and fight off influenza viruses. It contains inactivated (dead) or weakened forms of the flu virus or specific viral proteins, which do not cause illness but stimulate your immune system to prepare defenses.
Our primary care doctor administers the flu vaccine to hundreds of patients each year. But how does it work? Here is some information on that.
HOW DOES THE FLU VACCINE WORK?
The flu vaccine contains either.
- Inactivated influenza viruses (dead virus particles)
- Live attenuated influenza viruses (weakened viruses, used in nasal spray vaccines)
- Flu viral proteins (such as hemagglutinin and neuraminidase, which are key parts of the virus)
These components are selected based on predictions about which strains of the flu virus are most likely to circulate during the upcoming flu season. The vaccine typically covers the most common types of influenza viruses, including influenza A and B strains.
The vaccine stimulates the immune system. When you receive the flu vaccine, your immune system treats the inactivated or weakened virus as a “foreign invader” and responds by:
- Producing antibodies: These are proteins that specifically target the flu virus and neutralize it.
- Training immune cells: Your immune system also activates T-cells (another type of immune cell) that can help eliminate infected cells if you encounter the virus in the future.
After vaccination, your immune system “remembers” how to recognize and fight the flu virus. If you are exposed to the actual flu virus later on, your immune system can respond much more quickly and effectively because it has already developed a defense against the virus.
WHAT IF I STILL GET THE FLU AFTER THE VACCINE?
If you are exposed to the flu virus after vaccination, your body is equipped to fight it off before you become seriously ill. Even if you do get sick, the vaccine can reduce the severity of the illness. Vaccinated people are less likely to experience severe symptoms, hospitalization, or complications like pneumonia.
When a significant portion of the population gets vaccinated, it can reduce the overall spread of the flu virus, protecting those who are unable to get vaccinated (e.g., individuals with severe allergies or weakened immune systems). This is called Herd Immunity
WHY DO YOU NEED A NEW VACCINE EVERY YEAR?
The flu virus changes (mutates) frequently. This is why flu vaccines are updated each year to target the most current strains of the virus. If you were vaccinated against last year’s strain, it might not be as effective against this year’s circulating flu strains.
In summary, the flu vaccine works by preparing your immune system to recognize and fight the flu virus without making you sick, providing both personal protection and contributing to broader public health by reducing transmission.
At Vital Advanced Medical center, our Primary Care Doctor in Tampa regular treats patients with the flu during the flu season and gives administers the flu vaccines to patients.
